WARNING! Tsundere President

Huo Li, while whistling pretentiously, took a peek at his brother through the rear mirror.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at him, like a daughter-in-law abandoned by her husband. 

And I thought I was supposed to see this from that Zhaoyang girl. 

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Upon arrival, Huo Li bade Huo Yunting goodnight as he watched the man heaving his own steps into the house. The maids briefly greeted him and hid in the kitchen immediately after. Huo Yunting made a delayed response as he waved his hands to the maids already gone before heading to his room and falling into the abyss of his bed. In his slumber, he heard and even saw her. She was there, laughing, crying, hammering his back, spitting her tongue out, rolling her eyes, all at the same time even without an expression. She was there in her black widow one-piece, then her little night gown she wore to the Mayor’s party, her refreshing office shirt, sometimes her oversized striped pajamas too.

It felt like an eternity even though everything happened a day or two ago. He did not even dream so vividly about her when the elopement happened.

Morning came before he could grab her, as the cracking headache of the hangover pulled him back into reality. He reached his arm to the other side of the bed, fumbling over his bed’s chilly surface,only to be disappointed by the missing warmth while discovering the usual blanket and pillow.

He opened his eyes and got up. His feet were still warm as the room but somehow his heart felt cold.

He looked through the window. “Not a good sign,” he muttered for being the only person in the house on the first day of a brand new year.

——

Back to Good Health Hospital in the capital, Xue Yuming finally woke up but that was after seven days since the incident.

“Mother?” Lu Zhaoyang pushed the door open. She rushed here upon hearing the news of her mother regaining consciousness. Throughout the entire week, both Huo Zhenning and her had been taking care of her mother in turns and after all that work, her mother had returned. Oh, the joy, the relief!

Huo Zhenning was feeding her mother whose face looked less drained than before.

“Mommy!” She ran to her mother.

“Yang Yang…” Her mother lifted her hand weakly.

Never once Zhaoyang missed her mother so much. She held her mother’s hand firmly. “Honey, eat first, we can chat later,” said Huo Zhenning with a spoonful of congee.

“Yeah, eat well, mother,” added Lu Zhaoyang, feeling relieved.

She watched the two elderly couple whispering lovely words and painful oaths. There were a few tears in Huo Zhenning’s eyes as he fed the last scoop to her mother who was also looking at him endearingly, with a kind of happiness never-before-seen.

That passionate exchange of sights between them validated their love to Zhaoyang. They truly loved each other. Only if they met each other much younger, there would not have been so much suffering and misunderstanding.

She sat on the bed after Huo Zhenning took the empty bowl and left. Leaning towards her mother, she asked, “Does it still hurt? Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine, sweetie, sorry to keep the two of you worried all this while.” Her mother sighed as she looked at her hands rubbing against each other, “It’s just—my baby…”

“I understand, mommy, I understand.” She tapped her mother’s chilly hand as she glanced at her mother’s stomach , “We are feeling sorry for the baby too but your safety comes first. The family will understand.”

“Honestly—I could feel his existence inside me. How could he vanish just like that?” She shook her head.

Well, my fellow readers, how do I tell my mother that her baby disintegrated into oozing blood because of an accident caused by abortion pills, without causing her to jump out of the hospital?

“P-perhaps…” Zhaoyang tried giving a more calming, sounder reason, “Perhaps both of you aren’t connected by fate. Yeah.”

“Perhaps—sweetie…”

“Sorry, I’ve started to feel tired now.” Her mother pinched her forehead, “I heard from Zhenning that you haven’t been getting good sleep for the past week. It’s better to go home now and have a proper rest. Don’t force yourself. You are all I have left.”

“Alright, mommy. I’ll take good care of myself.” Zhaoyang stood up and put on her coat. She gave a quick nod out of courtesy as she caught Huo Zhenning who returned after washing the dishes.

The Huo family’s residence, as mentioned, was deserted during the season. The maid told Zhaoyang that the old lady had headed off to the city to meet her grandson while Huo Zhenning spent his days at either the hospital or the company.

Huo Zhenning should be a sane and sorted man, judging from how he never exposed on whatever happened between them back then to the world. Nevertheless, it would be always better to be safe than sorry.

For the following wintry days, she would visit her mother at the ward whenever Huo Zhenning was not in.

Throughout the hours they had spent together, her mother had never asked how she lost the baby and Zhaoyang knew the forbidden tale must not be told.

It would be better this way for mommy.

She thought.

Two days later, as Zhaoyang was talking about their good old days together, “The Old Mistress is here,” announced one of the maids briefly at the door as the dowager came in with a few taps by her stalk.

Lu Zhaoyang reflexively removed herself from her mother as the old lady sat on the chair which the maid pushed for her. She moaned in fatigue as she sat down, a piercing look from her wrinkled face, “How are you?”